Happy New Year

Hi there, and Happy New Year.I am going to welcome in the New Year, by unashamedly inviting you to support my latest venture.On January 11th, a good friend Ben and myself will start cycling the length of New Zealand, 3000 kms, via the Tour Aotearoa Cycle trail. http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html The Trail starts in the North, Cape Reinga, and follows off-road cycle paths, back roads, and various beaches and mountains, culminating in Bluff, probably (hopefully) around 3-4 weeks later. It is an unsupported ride, therefore we carry with us all we need, managing each day as it comes.

14 years ago, I received a cancer diagnosis that has been life changing. My good fortune, against the odds, in being here all these years later, is something I am grateful for every day. During those 14 years, I have been fortunate enough to participate in, and watch, the maturing of our family into wonderful adults, as well as fulfil many dreams and goals that were hatched in the dark days of chemo and treatment.One of those goals involved a pledge to maximise the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful country we live in, here in New Zealand, with friends and family. Many triathlon and multisport events have enabled this, and left me with a deep love of cycling. Other goals involved having a better community spirit, with an awareness of those around us who are not so fortunate, and encouraging our family to recognise their own good fortune at the same time as realising that not all are so privileged as ourselves.

The establishment of ACE, (Arusha Childrens Effort) by Mary (2nd daughter) and myself, almost 8 years ago, is now an integral part of our everyday lives, and the progress within the programme, along with the change for our students over this time, has been substantial.

Mary has considerable time in Arusha, and I have been fortunate enough to visit and contribute on four different occasions. One of the single biggest resources, absent not only our programme, but also the schools we work with and their communities, is a lack of reading material.

Therefore, this ride is to raise funds for the purchase and delivery of as many books as possible, in all categories, fiction, non-fiction, geographical, biographical and historical. All genres are valuable, and eagerly consumed by inquisitive young minds.